Shami’s fitness for India vs Australia Tests under question, suffers major injury scare in SMAT

Mohammed Shami remains under the scanner even after being given a clean bill of health by the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) medical team. In just his fifth match upon return, the right-arm pacer suffered a major injury scare. In the Bengal vs Madhya Pradesh match in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2024-25, Shami faced some issues with his lower back.

Mohammed Shami suffers injury scare in SMAT

Such was the situation that he sat down on the ground with a grimace on his face. Hoping that Shami would be available for the remaining matches of the India vs Australia Test series, the BCCI had sent their medical team to monitor his progress. While attempting to stop a ball, Shami managed to hurt his back. Upon seeing the 34-year-old pacer lying on the ground, Nitin Patel, head of the Center of Excellence’s medical panel, rushed into the middle to access the fast bowler.

Luckily, there was no injury, but Shami managed to give everyone a mighty scare. The BCCI was already unsure about Shami and hadn’t planned for his inclusion in the India vs Australia 2nd Test. The plan was to get some miles into Shami’s leg; therefore, he was suggested to play SMAT after starring in his lone Ranji Trophy match.

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Shami, not going to Australia

It seems like he isn’t close to his best. Forget the pink ball Test in Adelaide; if Shami can’t go unscathed in the middle of a 4-over spell, how does one expect him to bowl 15-20 overs of high intensity on a single day in Australia? The BCCI can’t risk further hampering his injury, and to send him in without anywhere close to his peak fitness would be an injustice to Shami, Team India, and the fans.

There are plenty of options, other than the three pacers who started for Team India in Perth. You have Prasidh Krishna and Akash Deep present in the squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, while Yash Dayal, Mukesh Kumar, and Navdeep Saini are the travelling reserves. If Team India can’t compete with eight pacers and Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shami’s inclusion wouldn’t change anything.

Mohammed Shami’s Test record in Australia